


Bunny Plus Black.

by blackUchenik



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:21:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29363910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackUchenik/pseuds/blackUchenik
Summary: An unlikely teacher-student relationship is formed between Shadow and Cream the Rabbit after Vanilla gets kidnapped by a deviant organization. A journey filled with the most unorthodox of characters, secrets, and new abilities awaits the two.
Kudos: 2





	1. Home Wrecker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit violent, a bit.

_There are a plethora of cosmic entities that exist just beyond the boundaries of the human intellect. They love to entertain themselves with the activities of 'lesser' life-forms._ _One such beast is the Radiant Blood Mask. A planet_ _-sized fog drawn only by budding bloodlust. She bestows selected individuals with gifts to prolong their conquest and rejoices in their spoils. She blesses anyone she pleases, and only demands that her benefactors relish themselves in their most violent of desires_.

_Many Mobians and Men have drummed up dozens of small groups to utilize her abilities. They're quite ritualistic in their endeavors, opting to delve deep into the decrepit arts to achieve their dreams. They have no sense of morality or care for societal expectations, nothing will please these souls as much as the sufferings of others. Their only stopping hand may come at the grip of death himself. Indeed, their conquests give rise to a new form of fable, one where the darkest of societal's outcasts may charge forth and bring the judgment the weaker lack.  
_

**BUNNY PLUS BLACK**

* * *

**CHAPTER 1 - HOMEWRECKER**

* * *

Shadow's current apartment complex was uncomfortably cramped, like a setting fit for storing brooms and miniature wares. Its only features were some wooden closet, a misty mirror by a wall-affixed sink, and a compact window that loomed towards the ceiling. The crimson-stroked hedgehog was apathetic towards his conditions. By the time his bat companion had discovered him, he'd already managed with a six-hour rest upon the hard mattress he'd been offered. She stood idly by his open door, staring through with a deep look of dismay. Mr. Fukunaga, the gold-hearted geezer that let him rest here, offered his own words of assurance.

"I told you, Rogue," he said, "he's as dead as a rock."

Shadow's eyelids fluttered. His vision shifted into focus and caught the concerning glow of Rogue's figure. Her motherly appearance gave the scene a feverish mood.

"Where the hell have you been?" he mumbled.

* * *

"We'll cover the damages, and the rent," Rogue said.

The three stood silently in Mr. Fukanaga's hallway. It was a glacial 4:00 AM that fateful Tuesday and most of the tenants were still sound asleep. Shadow's suitcase had already been packed for departure. He clung on behind Rogue, like the guilty child of a school mother, paying no heed to the words she exchanged with Mr. Fukanaga. His emotions were still tipsy from last night's sleep. The world itself felt illusory, like a sequence of many blurry images.

"Usually, I'd be inclined to accept such a reward, but I doubt I'll be standing here if your friend hadn't saved my life last night," the landlord argued.

"Don't patronize us," Rogue said, "we can afford it, we're not broke or anything."

"No," Mr. Fukunaga said, "the goodwill of others must always be repaid with reward, that's what keeps this world going, I won't trouble you kids for a pay-cheque but I implore you to keep going before the weather picks up."

The three finished their conversation outside the apartment building, where Shadow and Rogue made their final good-byes before departing down Mavis Street, a little subsection of the Rosemary Suburbs. A location that Shadow found as meaningless as the night before.

"So, mind telling me where you were last night?" Rogue asked.

"Making people happy," the hedgehog replied, as his suitcase scuttled on behind him. It was supposed to accompany him to a nearby motel, but he'd lost the key during last night's scuffle.

"By breaking their legs?"

Shadow grunted and rubbed his temples with the left thumb, "does it matter?"

"Does it matter? You want to get us into trouble?"

The two reached an intersection, Rogue pushed her right thumb against the push-to-walk bulb and awaited the go-ahead signal.

"Look at this place," Shadow remarked, motioning his hands around the barren environment, "it's empty, desolate, no signs of that damn Eggman or any evil of a similar kind."

"So?"

"So, given that it's my goal to serve as humanity's nonchalant protector, I must find evil in smaller places."

Rogue rolled her eyes, "you don't think the usual street thug might be a bit underpowered to deal with the ultimate life-form?"

"Hmph, the fists of justice are impartial, I deal with whoever I want, big or small. If they want to prey on the weak they only have themselves to blame for the backlash."

"And if you end up killing them in the process?"

Shadow shrugged. Rogue's disgust escalated, she charged and dragged Shadow by his mane. Luckily for her, few were around to see this confrontation. "Listen you 'bringer of darkness', if you can't keep yourself sane enough to last a day without nearly killing someone, then how do you expect your girlfriend to do her job?"

"Girlfriend, where's that coming from?" Shadow asked, his expression remaining firmly apathetic.

"It's an offer I've been putting on the table, but you're too much of an empty-skull to get it."

The green digitally encoded man appeared, the time to cross was now. Shadow pushed Rogue away, and dusted his shoulders, "come look for me when you stop chasing after that blasted echidna."

"I will, smartass."

They continued their journey a few meters onwards and cut their streak with a sharp right turn to Seven Heaven's Alleyway, where hipsters and the college kids swooned. Some brownish tavern-looking coffee shop called the Sheep's Serving was just a few inches ahead in their glacial walk. Its drive-way carried the unfamiliar shape of a second-hand mini-van and its rabbit owner.

"What's this?" Shadow asked, halting their footsteps.

"Your new job," Rogue explained, "I promised Vanilla I'd take her out, but then I got busy, and now you're doing it."

"Why?"

"Partially because I find the act of hanging out with that rabbit to be quite, tedious."

"By tedious you mean 'severely lacking in financial assets worth uprooting'"

"You really think I'd stoop so low, Shadow?"

"I don't expect anything more out of you at this point."

The front door of the vehicle swung wide open and Cream, the cheery sweet crop of the Sonic team, burst out in joy and fled to the couple's position.

"Uncle Shadow!" she yelled, attacking the unsuspecting black hedgehog with a strong embrace around his waist.

"How adorable," Rogue remarked, "she calls you uncle now."

"Regretfully so," Shadow whispered.

"Uncle Shadow, look what I made," Cream waved a mash of wooden sticks and plaster at his face. This was her 'doll'. "I found some sticks outside and I used some glue and look, look, I made it look just like you Uncle Shadow!"

Uncanny was the best word to describe it. If Cream's goal was to replicate Shadow's inner turmoil, she'd nailed it in an avant-garde sense. "It's quite, dross," Shadow remarked.

"Dross?" Cream asked, dumbfounded, "what does that mean?"

"It means he loves it dear," Rogue said, kneeling a bit lower to ruffle her long ears. She soon left the two to their own devices, and with a peck on Shadow's cheeks departed from the scene, "stay out of trouble, okay?"

"Where's Rogue?" Vanilla asked as Shadow began stuffing his suitcase into the back of the vehicle with a happy Cream joyfully skipping onwards by his side.

"Who knows what that bat is doing these days," the hedgehog approached Vanilla's side of the vehicle and spoke to her through the front window. "Just tell me where the place is."

"Sure, but do get in first," Vanilla said, "you don't want to freeze out in the cold, do you, Mr. Shadow?"

"I'll take the cold over the car."

Cream ceased her dancing, "Uncle Shadow's not riding with us?" she asked.

"'Uncle Shadow' is way faster than this excuse for transport," Shadow sneered.

Vanilla was slightly distraught at his statement. Shadow's pessimistic outlook on the world was a depressing weight on her emotions. She'd respect his wishes.

"If you wish," she said, with a mask of fake glee hiding her displeasure, "it's Sixty-Five, Crescent Road, just right next to the Lutheranism Embassy."

"Can I go with Shadow Mom?" Cream asked.

"No dear, get in the car."

"but mom, I'm sure I can keep up."

"Cream?" Vanilla asked with a stern tone, "car, now please."

Cream's ears drooped. She complied, "okay."

"Don't keep me waiting," Shadow grunted. He distanced himself from Vanilla's mini-van, readjusted his shoes with a few ground clicks, and burst forth into a hazy black blur. A few passerby's cheered in observance of his magnitude. The rabbit wasn't impressed. With a sigh, she turned to Cream as she got into the passenger seat and questioned her about her ambitions.

"What do you see in that hedgehog, dear?"

"He's cool, and fast, like Sonic."

"But he's nowhere near charming."

"Everyone's so charming these days mom, but people like Shadow are so cool because they're not charming."

"Is that so?" Vanilla said with a tone of disappointment.

"Yeah!" Cream yelped, "it's 'cool' to be not nice once in a while."

"A lady should never be 'not-nice'," Vanilla whispered as she clicked in her belt, "anyway this shouldn't take us more than two hours, it's just a friendly visit and we're off."

"Sure Mom!" Cream yelled in glee, before buckling her own. She was so thrilled. Uncle Shadow was actually going to be with her today, and she couldn't believe it. She had so many questions to ask him, so many games she wanted to play with him. And she'd get to bother him relentlessly for the next two hours.

"Mom, are you going to marry Shadow?" Cream asked.

Vanilla froze at the question, her hands hovered over the ignition.

"Where on Earth did you get that idea from?" she demanded.

"I don't know, but like won't it be cool if Shadow was my Dad?"

The old rabbit hissed at the thought and started the vehicle, "please don't ask me that again," she murmured.

"Oh, okay, I love you, Mom."

"I love you too dear."

* * *

Against the precipice of the common world, four souls lay eerily silent as they observed the ashes of their work disintegrate into the howling wind. The Four Cuts of Saturn, a quad-team of hell's worst Mobian elite, created to serve under one of the Mask's many admirers: Cult of July

Suspended underneath the crescent moon was the half-digested corpse of their organization's favored bride. Her body had been scattered against a ravaged patch of land; the grass surrounding it had been rooted and thrown asunder. The wolves couldn't even summon the decency to hide the carcass before ripping it to shreds.

Verkas and Myles had stumbled upon her fate by accident. With a mentally battered mind, the former spewed his contents by the forest floor, the latter stared onwards, making her conclusions.

"It's fresh," she noted, "they went for the neck first and severed her vocal cords, that way, nobody could hear her scream."

Atanis, elder ruler of the Cuts and favored believer, stood idly by in despair as his two years of effort lay shattered by his feet.

 _Life should never be so worthless_ , he thought.

The old blue rabbit eased his fingers, dropped his staff, and stooped downwards. His optimism had betrayed him, and the vultures of guilt circled his waning confidence.

"Our sins must be rectified," he declared, "tomorrow, we shall find another."

"Who?" his right-hand assistant asked, a canine who bore the name of Jebediah.

"Whoever the Mask provides," he proclaimed.

And so, a new evil was unleashed into the world, burning with a lustful desire for the innocent and pure.


	2. Rise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be introducing some odd elements/abilities to the Sonic canon to make things a bit more interesting.

_Non-recipients of the Mask may still use any of her gifts by enabling something called a blood contract. Once this contract is sealed, the user must allow themselves to bleed out until a timer is complete and the ability is rendered inactive. The more powerful the ability, the more blood-loss is required. Those who have attuned their abilities may suffer less blood loss in the future. Recipients don't suffer from this of course but are still limited to one ability per blessing._

_{Mark of Approximation} is one of the Radiant Blood Mask's many gifts. It closes the gap between a user and his/her enemy's strength by ninety-nine percent._

** BUNNY PLUS BLACK **

"She's perfect," Jebediah said under his breath. The prospect was drumming up some inner excitement. Securing the bride would be the exhilarating solution they so desperately desired.

"Lemme see," Verkas requested.

He passed his pair of binoculars to the curious feline, allowing her to peer upon the bride-to-be.

"Didn't I tell you, I'd find the perfect woman in no time?" Jebediah whispered.

"She is quite tall."

"And meaty under that lovely dress," Jebediah said.

The two kept a steady gaze from the highest floor of a nearby parking tower, watching the three characters share their welcomes and goodbyes, their target, her daughter, and some black hedgehog who hinted towards future trouble.

"That crimson-stroked fiend is quite worrisome," Jebediah noted, "he's a mammal speedster."

"Speedsters always trade brainpower for physical prowess, we'd be done before he knew something was wrong," Verkas said.

"Well, we don't want to take any chances."

Without looking back, Verkas chucked the binoculars through the top window of their convertible, whipped a small blade from her pocket, and pulled it towards her right thumb.

"A blood contract!" Jebediah remarked.

"Have anything to say against it?"

"No."

"Do not question my motives, this is just my way of cutting the risk."

Earlier non-recipients had a habit of using their wrists to seal the contract or a patch on their chest. Verkas could manage just fine with a slight prick on her right thumb. While this reduced the effect of the Radiant Mask gift, it expanded its running time, allowing for more advantages in combat.

"So begins the supposed rectification of our sins," she declared before pressing the blade against her skin and slicing it open.

* * *

**CHAPTER 2: RISE  
**

* * *

A multitude of neatly arranged tombstones, roses, and iron fences encircled the Lutheran embassy. Its affixed golden cross reflected the dazzling rays that burst forth from the clouds and blessed the graveyard with a glorifying glow. The Lord's rays showed no impartiality over the dead and their mourners.

Shadow had resided himself to an elevated hillside just North-West of the main building's location. Soft oak wood from a nearby picnic table kept him comfortable as he awaited the arrival of his 'friends'. The canopy he sat under provided a cooling shield from the sun's rays. Few appreciated the eery tranquility of the departed. They had nothing to suffer from, nor anything to prove. The hedgehog had learned through his many years of mourning to appreciate such unorthodox beauty.

A young voice interrupted that beauty, "Shadow!"

The bunny was here. Shadow rubbed his face and turned to 'embrace' Cream as she made her way up the hill-side. She was a frolicking mess, with grass-embedded fur, heavy panting, and her favorite buzzing Chao. His eyes went from apathy to total shock as the object she carried became visible to him.

"I brought your suitcase for you- eeek!" she could only make it a few steps more before fumbling over by the wayside.

Shadow lunged forward and caught Cream by her waist. The suitcase, however, spiraled downwards until it struck a deep puddle with a heavy splash, submerging its contents in filthy rainwater.

"Dammit!" Shadow yelled, taking care as to not strangle Cream out of anger.

Cream was horrified, "oh no!" she exclaimed.

* * *

"I'm so sorry Uncle Shadow," Cream mumbled under a bitter well of tears, "I just wanted to help."

Shadow ignored her. He'd already arranged his items against a white flat plastic sheet and had begun disassembling the entourage of weapons he had at his disposal.

"Please don't tell Mom," Cream begged.

"I'm inclined to," Shadow said, "I'm inclined to leave both of you here so you can revel in your tears and filth."

Cream dropped to a cross-legged sitting position in her agony and rubbed her eyes. Her blue Chao friend tried to console her.

"You know how much this cost?" Shadow asked, angrily waving a broken metal barrel in her face, "you think hedgehogs have a premium on these things?" He chucked it to the side and grunted with agony. "I have to pay for imports, customs, license renewal, oh Gaia, Cream why?"

"I just thought," she sniffled, "I just thought it'll make you happy if I brought your stuff for you."

"Why!" Shadow yelled, "is there anything you need to prove Cream? Are you that hungry for attention?"

Cream backed away from the hedgehog's harsh words and hid her face beneath her long ears. Her muffled crying continued. The pose, the soft tone of guilt, reminded Shadow of someone else.

He shook his head in dismay, ceased his weapon organization, and just let the suitcase sit awkwardly by his side. He fell back into a sitting position and looked upwards to the gathering masses of clouds above.

"It's going to rain soon," he muttered, "We better get under that canopy."

Shadow resumed his work atop the picnic table; Cream sat opposite him, watching with a curious wide-eyed expression. She didn't dare say a word or ask her uncle what he was doing with all these weirdly shaped pieces of metal and plastic. His determined gaze was all she needed to stay entertained. The black hedgehog could tell she was itching to speak but provided no outlet for her to do so. She could watch if she wanted, but the mere act of intervening would be punished.

"Where's your Mom anyway?" Shadow asked.

"Oh, eh," Cream pulled herself up a bit, "she's hanging out with her friend."

"Her friend works in a graveyard?"

"Mom didn't tell me, she just said she's a friend is all."

"Whatever."

Some silence followed before Cream broke their pact.

"Urm, Uncle Shadow?" she whispered quietly.

Shadow had just clicked in another component, "what?"

"I-I need to go number two."

"So go."

"Yeah but I don't know where the loo is."

The hedgehog dropped his work, got up, and grabbed Cream's right hand. "Oh, ow?" she grunted.

Shadow pulled her to the edge of their location and pointed at a seemingly arbitrary point in the distance.

"Can you see that?" he asked.

"Y-yes?"

"Know what that is?"

"A building?"

The hedgehog corrected her, "that's a prayer room, go there and ask if they've got any toilets you can use."

"Y-You're not going to follow me?" Cream asked.

"With seven thousand dollars worth of equipment lying in the open?" Shadow asked mockingly.

Cream gripped her uncle's hands and shoved her small face into his chest, pleading desperately that he follow her.

"Oh, please no, you can't leave me in the rain Shadow, what kind of uncle does that?"

She was right, what kind of uncle left his niece out to suffer out in the rain? A cruel shell of a man that's who, but Cream seemed to forget one vital detail in her argument.

"Stop calling me your uncle," Shadow said, "I'm not your uncle, I was fine with the Mister, but the uncle thing is repulsive."

The rabbit kept her pleading, rubbing even harder into Shadow's waist. "Okay, I'm sorry, but please don't leave me out in the rain Mr. Shadow, I don't want to get wet, I'm sorry I'll never carry your suitcase again and I'll leave you alone forever, okay?"

"Promise?" Shadow asked.

"I promise."

* * *

After some asking around, the two found a rusty shed south of the main building. Shadow arrived in a blur, carrying Cream's body in the clutches of his arms. He dropped her off and demanded, "if you want a ride back, you better hurry it up in there." The shed housing the washroom was buried in a lush ensemble of thorns and thistles. It lacked the proper gardening care, and Cream feared the same for its sanitation.

"It's dirty," she wanted to say, but fearful of pulling Shadow's patience, she simply wandered into its dark abyss and began looking for the appropriate place to do her business.

Shadow meanwhile, found a wooden stump nearby he could wait upon. He closed his eyes and thought of better things. The most recent memory to cross his mind was Rogue's earlier comment about his violent antics; the next that followed was his accusation of her shallow attitude. He rubbed his temples again and peered towards the waning sun. The rain had trickled into a slow drizzle, barely strong enough to bother him. No doubt it'll pick up again soon. To the right side of the shed was a worn statue of the Virgin Mary and a ceramic bowl beneath her feet. The pattering rain rummaged its content, producing an uncomfortable rhythm.

"Gratifying isn't it?" a voice asked. The hedgehog snapped his eyes open, turned to his right, and witnessed a tall figure dressed in nun clothing. He hadn't even noticed her approaching, "the unison of beliefs under divinity."

The hedgehog was utterly dumbfounded, "What?"

"Didn't you know?," she asked, pointing to the statue, Shadow noticed the red fur beneath her dress and the whiskers protruding from her muzzle but her face remained quite obscure. "In the past century or so the mere act of portraying such an image in the presence of Lutherists would have gained great ire."

Shadow lifted himself from his wooden stump, and faced this roaming enigma, lost at her words, "what are you talking about?" he asked.

The figure reached into her robes, revealed a glass of some sharp crimson liquid, and drew it to her lips. Her fingers quivered greatly as the brim touched her mouth, its contents nearly spilling over her shadowy dress.

"This power," she muttered, "how do you live with it? Such speed, such agility," she remarked.

The hedgehog was at a loss for words. His heart raced, his pupils constricted. The fur around his body stiffened as he awkwardly staggered away from the individual.

"I'm sorry," she apologized through wet lips, "I just like to have a little drink before meetings." She whipped her hood back, allowing Shadow to get a better look at her face. Her eyes were of a bright purple pitch, and her pupils were narrow black. There was nothing underneath them, not a care in the world for anything. The hedgehog also took short note of a thin blood streak, which poured from the tip of her thumb to the innards of her dress.

"Hello Shadow," she whispered seductively.

* * *

Cream departed from the washroom with a look of disgust. It wasn't as bad as she'd expected, someone was still keeping tabs on the place, but the lack of proper lighting left something to be desired. "I'm done Mr. Shadow," she grunted, before noticing the daunting state of her hedgehog friend, "Mr. Shadow?"

Shadow's body was frozen in fear. He stood leftward, petrified and hollow, eyes absorbing the nothingness of the foggy distance before him. His state worried the rabbit and so she inquired again, "Mr. Shadow?" The hedgehog quickly collected himself, and charged at Cream, causing her to yelp in panic. He held her wrists and pulled her closer, so she could understand the horror in his eyes.

"Where's Vanilla?" he sputtered, "where did your Mom go?"

"Hall, she said she went to the hall," Cream replied with a frightened stammer.

Shadow buried his fingers softly into the side of her head and warned her sternly, "get to the car, now."

"Why?" she asked.

"I said get to the car!" he yelled, causing her to scream into another bout of tears. "Get to the car! and don't look back!" he screamed. Cream did as she was told and rushing towards the nearest pathway to the gate.

Shadow pointed himself towards the direction of the Hall, steadied himself, and set forth in a devilish crimson blur, leaving a burning black path in his wake. He'll be damned before he let another woman suffer by his lack of effort.

* * *

The Lutherans valued valiant artistic merits. A subsection of the Pope's Hall was dedicated to the finest of arts from all walks of the Christian experience. An expensive collection of the greatest works financed by the richest of holy men. Anything here that wasn't an originally known work was either duplicated or deemed unworthy to belong in this collection. Vanilla found the spiraling ornaments of gold and oil paintings to be quite intimidating. Her cute brown dress and middle-class appearance gave off this sharp contrast of desolation. It was fortunate then that the only people occupying the Hall were her and Vanessa, a cherished human friend of hers.

"Did you get here by train?" Vanessa asked, twirling her blonde ponytail.

"No, I actually got myself a vehicle," Vanilla said.

"Oh, nice!" Vanessa exclaimed, "you always wanted that, didn't you, your daughter must be proud."

"She prefers the old style of running, but not me, I'm too old for that."

"Of course, bad enough we furless douchebags can't keep up," Vanessa giggled.

"Oh don't say that," Vanilla said.

Their conversation was cut short by the invading sounds of two wooden doors being slammed forth by her unwanted hedgehog friend.

"Shadow?" Vanilla asked, getting up from her seat.

"I'm sorry sir, but we're not open at the moment," Vanessa declared, "you'll have to return tomorrow."

The hedgehog stepped forward, bearing a look of great concern on his face. "Vanilla," he murmured, "we need to leave."

A slow clapping sound began to bellow behind his body. Shadow turned in a panic and dashed away from the doorway. He squeezed his fists in angry determination and steadied himself, ready to charge forth with killing intent if need be.

Verkas emerged from the drizzling backdrop with a lustful leer, clapping widely against the rhythm of the pattering raindrops. Her nun clothing was covered with a crimson mixture of blood and wine.

"Vanilla," she rejoiced with outstretched arms, "I'm here to take your hand!"

* * *

Cream struck the side of the car with brute unintended force, quickly recovered, and began searching desperately for an entrance. Her mom had the keys, and none of the doorknobs were functional. In a rush of panicky tears, she began furiously banging the front window, begging for a way in.


	3. Matted Barks

** BUNNY PLUS BLACK **

"Sixteen-Fifty Black Lily," Verkas whispered as she glared into her half-empty bottle of wine, "favored amongst both believers and heathens."

She pocketed the bottle into the folds of her outfit and redirected her attention towards the three individuals before her. Two of which trembled greatly in her presence. The third boasted a more courageous attitude.

"I've always appreciated religious history," she said, "you see, as a child I wasn't pretty enough to qualify for the position of anyone's mistress, so my officials thought it best I assisted more in their research." Verkas looked upwards at the ceiling mural, which depicted a rough retrace of the Sistine-chapel, "it was a much better fate than being drawn and quartered by wolf fangs."

"What are you talking about?" the bewildered Vanilla asked with glassy eyes and quivering hands kept close to her chest.

"Looking at you now, Vanilla, I see someone who doesn't have to bear that fate" Verkas rejoiced, stretching her arms outwards, "don't let yourself suffer under the wolves, come to me and be free."

Vanilla found herself oddly drawn to the words of this enigmatic feline. She drew a soft step forward, almost reaching out to her, curious of what her message was. It was cut abruptly short by Shadow's strong grip, which whisked her quickly back into reality.

"Your sultress words do nothing when I'm here!" he proclaimed.

Verkas withdrew her arms and placed her chin atop interlaced fingers, "this would be so much easier without the likes of heathens like you," she grunted.

"Shadow?" Vanilla asked, "what's going on? Where's Cream?"

"She's safe," Shadow murmured.

"Safe, really?" Verkas asked. Her right hand reached outwards for a nearby chair. She grabbed its head, pulled it to her side, and rested upon its tensile metal frame. The enigmatic feline proceeded to slide her right knee above the other before quaintly placing both hands upon her laps. She cleared her throat and asked, "you really think I came alone?"

A barrage of questions burst through the hedgehog's mind. The possibility of another assailant hadn't even occurred to him.

"Sh-shadow?" Vanilla stammered.

"Answer her Shadow," Verkas mumbled with an irritated bellowing voice, "are you one to prioritize your status over the safety of a little girl? You're pathetic."

"Look who's calling who pathetic," Shadow said, "I'm not the nun-cosplayer spewing dribble over her ideals."

Verkas ignored him, "by the way, I overheard your little conversation, about the whole uncle thing?" She squinted her eyes into mischievous narrow slits, "I found myself agreeing with you completely, monsters like you and innocent girls should never mix."

"Don't push your words!"

"Oh ho," Verkas muttered, "I've struck a nerve already, tell me Shadow, this isn't the first little girl you've left so carelessly on your watch have you?"

"Shut up!" he yelled.

The hedgehog shot forth towards her position and shattered her metal chair into a burst of broken iron components. Verkas, however, had already retreated. He turned back in shock, only to spot this crimson dripping femme fatal sitting quaintly by the edge of a silk-wrapped table, arms to her side. She was neither hurt nor bothered by his actions. With predatory focus, she remained locked solely on Vanilla, her target.

"What, how did you-!" Shadow exclaimed.

"Is this your hero?" Verkas asked Vanilla, "a hedgehog with no care for your offspring, nor his demeanor?"

"What do you want?" Vanilla asked, now gripping Vanessa's right hand in fear.

Shadow burst into a red blaze and slammed an ax-kick against Verkas's position, splitting the table in two and causing various ornaments to scatter through the air. The attack went nowhere. The feline's body had already vanished from his gaze. Panicked, he searched his surroundings in a wild frenzy, desperate to pinpoint her location. But, in a swift unforeseen act, a strong force locked his head in place. She was right behind him. This beast of a mobian had bolted him down with an inescapable headlock, rendering any form of upper body movement impossible. Now, as he was forced to bask in her looming presence, Shadow truly realized her intimidating height, which only amplified the apparent vastness of her abilities.

Verkas caressed his fluffy ears and pressed him closer to her chest, "I must say, his menacing glare is quite adorable."

* * *

**CHAPTER 3: MATTED BARKS**

* * *

"Chao?" Cheese asked.

Cream rummaged through a patch of broken branches and leaves that were littered around the entrance of the grave-yard.

"I need something strong, Cheese."

"Chao?"

Cream looked at Cheese with a combination of mischief and excitement, "I'm going to break that window open, and then I'm going to help Mr. Shadow! Whether he likes it or not."

She picked up a wiggly branch as thick as her arm and set some distance between herself and her mom's vehicle.

"Stand back Cheese!" she yelled, before hurling the stick towards the vehicle. It aptly bounced back and struck her in the nose.

The young rabbit, full of tears for the third time that day, staggered towards the fenced entrance and let out a muffled wince. She quickly began rubbing off the red stream from her face.

Cheese winced, "Chao!"

"Don't worry Cheese," Cream grunted through sniffles, "I'm alright, it's just a scratch."

She bounced back onto her feet and began thinking of other solutions. She'd figured by the tone of Shadow's voice, that great trouble had arrived. Whether or not he wanted her help, she was going to fight for him. The vehicle had an in-built phone she could use. Perhaps someone like Vector, or even Sonic could be available to help. But alas, it was bolted behind bulletproof glass and a pair of locked doors.

"If push comes to shove, I'll just have to help him on my own!" the bunny proclaimed.

* * *

"Do you have anything more to say?" Shadow asked.

"Hmmm?" Verkas responded.

"Will you keep groaning about your piety, or mock my caretaking skills?"

"Hoho!" Verkas laughed, tightening her grip on Shadow's skull. Her claws intensely punctured him from both sides of his forehead, drawing a slight trickle of blood down his face, "for a hedgehog whose mere seconds from having his head crushed in, you're quite the talker."

Shadow made no attempt to flee her grasp, instead opting to grit his teeth and clench his fists as the searing pain cut through his temples. He kept a steady gaze on Vanilla's position, looking to her eyes with the most assuring expression he could manage. His attempt seemed woefully inadequate. The rabbit shivered evermore.

"You're nothing but a monster," Shadow remarked, "an evil-doer who thinks they're above everyone else."

Verkas giggled, "I wouldn't expect a heathen like you to understand, my way comes from the truth."

"That's what they all say," Shadow muttered, feeling the serrated edges reach his skull. He had to act fast.

"Oh?" Verkas asked, she lowered her head and bit the tip of Shadow's right ear in a playful manner, "and who are you to judge?"

"Me?" Shadow asked, pulling up a budding smug expression, "I'm the Ultimate Life Form."

The feline ceased herself, "Ultimate life-form? What the hell are you talking abou-"

Shadow shot his right foot into her face, breaking him from her confinement. His strategy worked. He'd caught her in the middle of a useless monologue with a trusty back-kick. The blood he lost didn't matter to him, it was worth it. As she staggered back in shock, with a nose full of scarlet liquid, Shadow's fears dissipated. A bleeding enemy was the hope he needed to fight on. In his split-second of victory, he wore a face of elegant pride and scornful eyes.

"Dammit!" Verkas exclaimed. She'd been had, and badly too.

The black hedgehog didn't draw his foot down just yet, allowing Verkas to admire his flexibility.

"Trash-talk doesn't work on me you see," Shadow remarked, "I know a blue idiot who cherries himself on pointless banter." He dropped his sneakers down with a tight click and swirled towards his attacker's position. He pressed the silky surface of his gloves against his right eye and rubbed off whatever blood blinded him, "and don't try the seductive talk too, I'm so used to it right now that it disgusts me."

Verkas attempted to steady herself. She rubbed her face and inspected her own blood loss. All she could pick up on now was a faint scent of iron and broken bone. If she hadn't dashed away in that last micro-second, her skull might have been fractured. It truly was a beast of an attack.

A confident Shadow approached her rapidly and cautiously, seeking to quickly close the gap between them before she attempted any new tactic. His gait was steady, his legs wide apart and his fists ready to deliver a crushing blow of justice.

"You're not as fast as you think," he said, "I just couldn't regulate your speed earlier, but in hindsight, you run like an amateur." He beckoned her mockingly with his gloved hands, "now come on!" he taunted, "see if I can't catch up."

"You, cretin!" Verkas teleported towards him with great faith in her abilities. Shadow's agility was admirable but ultimately pointless. The contract would give her all the power she needed to keep up. All that remained was that irritating one-percent gap.

The hedgehog oppressor himself found her momentum to be utterly perplexing. Regardless, he remained resolute. Verkas's first attack attempted to gouge his eyes out with a downward slash from her claws. Shadow struck forward with his chaos inhibitors and blocked the move, burying the base of his sneakers into the ground as to restrict his staggering. "Pathetic," he muttered.

Verkas immediately bounced back, blitzed around him, and tried another attack. She'd attempt another head-grab, one that would behead him if necessary. Shadow's reaction was a bit delayed, but with a quick overhead swing of his arms, he managed to save himself from a brutal decapitation. "Cowardly of you to strike from such an easy position too," he remarked. With his right shoulder, he shoved her off, gyrated into a dazzling heel-turn, and struck her ribs with a swift roundhouse kick. She hit one edge of the art-table with a bone-breaking crack and fell to her knees. Her bottle of wine fell from her dress and hit the floor with a shattering clatter, wetting her surroundings with its crimson contents.

"If we keep going like this, someone's going to get a tax write-off," Shadow joked, "what say we calm down and take things outside?"

His smug expression died to one of waning terror. To the hedgehog's utter shock, the feline had begun desperately rubbing her fingers against the murky floor and slurping on the contents of her spilled wine from her soaked fingertips.

A disgusted Shadow desperately inquired, "what on earth are you doing?"

She looked at him with confused rage, as if he was the clown. "You don't waste good wine you stupid heathen, you lick it off the floor like a dirty animal if you must." She rapidly slurped a few more drips off the ground and awkwardly charged against him on all fours with a heavy cross punch.

Shadow grinned and swiftly crossed both his arms to block the move. He'd seized the mental advantage, "you've got some serious problems, you know that?"

"Don't judge me!" Verkas exclaimed. She lunged forward into an uppercut. Shadow flickered his body and dashed to her right side. This was the fastest he'd moved in a while, it felt like a mirror match between clones. Her skill-set was insanely up-par in quality. Unfortunately for her, the hedgehog had quite the experience with copycats.

"I don't know how you're moving so fast, but it's irritating me," he said. Enraged, Verkas spiraled rightward with a backhand punch, barely missing Shadow by the tip of his nose. He saw an opening in her mistake, completed his encircling dodge with a dash to an opening behind her body, and wrapped both arms around her waist. "Now, I'm ending this." Verkas could hardly summon a reaction before she realized her fate.

Using all his strength, Shadow lifted Verkas's body up, carried her screaming through the air, and landed smack-down with a powerful German suplex. The result? A room-shattering boom. The graphite floor beneath them broke open, paintings fell from their suspended position and the statues rumbled. If this didn't kill her, it would surely serve as a brutal decommission.

He whipped himself back onto his feet, brushed the dust off his body, and rubbed his chaos inhibitors against his white mane. "By the way," he said, turning to face her now malformed figure, part of which lay buried deep in the ground below. "I didn't leave Cream behind because I was some kind of bad caretaker, she's stronger than you give her credit for." He folded his arms and looked away, "you, on the other hand, you'll need a century of experience before you can dare to match up against me."

The next few seconds of silence were exhilarating. Vanilla and her friend had become awestruck at the show of power before them. The former ran towards Shadow and lowered herself to sate his wounds.

"Oh Mr. Shadow, are you hurt?" she asked, repeatedly rubbing her gloved thumbs on his grazed forehead.

Shadow whipped her hands off and turned his nose away, "I'm fine."

Vanilla's eyes scrunched up in tears, she lifted her fists by her head and shook them vigorously. "You could be less of a bastard and just be grateful you know?" she stomped her feet in anger, "we both thought you were going to die!"

Shadow put both arms on his waist and shook his lowered head, "it's going to take a while before that happens lady."

Vanilla held him by a tuft of his mane and dragged him towards her steaming face with brute force, "that's not how friendship works you idiot! You don't leave people worried like that."

Shocked at this display of anger, Shadow reluctantly stammered his way into an apology. Once again, he'd missed the social cue. "I'm, sorry?" he said.

"Damn right you're sorry," she dropped the hedgehog on his rump and stomped off towards the exit, awkwardly circling Verkas's now comatose body.

"Vanilla?" Vanessa said, "wait up darling," she followed after her, circling too around Shadow's work.

The hedgehog remained quiet in this awkward moment of solitude.

* * *

"Are you lost, child?"

Cream looked up to see a robed man dressed in silk clothing. Not wanting to be rude, she quickly pulled herself up from her position and greeted him.

"Good Morning Mister," she smirked, "I'm just waiting for my mother is all." She noticed his clear-cut canine features as a passing cloud blocked the Sun's blinding rays. It'd been a good ten minutes now since the rain drizzled to a complete stop.

He took note of the reddish patches on her face, "are you hurt?"

"Nothing a bandage can't fix!" Cream cheered.

Cheese was quite reluctant of this mobian's presence, he retreated himself to Cream's chest and hid under her face.

"What a lovely creature you have there."

"Oh, Cheese?" Cream held the shivering Chao with her hands, "he's one of a kind."

The mysterious dog made a lovely grin, "I'm sure he is."

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Vanilla said, "you knew someone was coming this way, and you left my daughter all alone in the pouring rain."

Shadow shrugged, "no offense, but Cream has a better chance of surviving any encounter than you do, I had to prioritize your safety over hers."

Vanilla had taken to a panicky back-and-forth stroll around the Hall's entrance, contemplating this grim turn of events. Shadow rested underneath a wall-mounted plaque near the open doorway.

"That lady," she noted, "she said something about a possible accomplice." Vanilla stopped in her tracks and charged Shadow, "Cream could be used as leverage!"

"I doubt it."

"What do you mean, you doubt it, that's how these people are, they just come, take whatever they want, whoever they want, my daughter could be in danger."

"If that was the plan they wouldn't have picked such a dangerous place to make their attack."

"What do you mean?"

Shadow pushed himself off his resting place, and began a slow forward walk towards a set of branching pathways before him, "they've been watching us for a while now, I'm not sure how long, but it couldn't have been more than a few hours from this moment. They would have gone for you earlier, when I wasn't available, I guess they were in a rush and just decided to attack whenever. They're hoping they can get the job done quickly."

"So, what you're saying is, the second assailant is going to come here instead?"

"I don't have a doubt in my mind."

Vanilla, now filled with overwhelming despair, dropped to her knees and pitied herself. This wasn't the first time she'd had to suffer such a fate. Previously her rescue had come at the hands of that blue blur and his charming personality. With the presence of Shadow, the stakes seemed higher and grim, what with all the gore being thrown around. She despised feeling so weak and helpless. That's why she was never brought on adventures, taken to great cities, or invited to play along in their exciting games. And at first, she didn't mind, everything would have been just daisy had the world continued on in her lovely abode, but things changed. Eggman arrived, Cream stopped being Mommy's girl. Now, this stupid, rugged world demanded something she couldn't give back.

"Dammit," she cried, "Shadow, please," she pleaded with watery eyes.

In an attempt to remain emotionally aware, Shadow rushed to her aid.

"If anything happens to me," Vanilla said, trying to restrict her salty tears, "I want you to promise me one thing," she gripped the folds of her skirt between her quivering fingers.

"Nothing is going to happen to you when I'm here," Shadow said.

"Don't be a dolt, Mr. Shadow, you're not perfect, you can't save everyone," Vanilla looked up and sought whatever emotion she could scavenge from Shadow's forced look of concern, "but you can save her, my little girl."

Vanessa was caught in a fit of worries and woes. She'd been given one job that morning. Protect the investments of the church's clients and restrict entry into the premises. That included friends and family. She wasn't prepared for two Mobians on steroids breaking into the place and making a show of everything. She darted around between various rugged spots, picking up what she could and hurriedly putting everything together.

A painting of King David had fallen during the kerfuffle, she picked that up and placed it on the side. Thank God it hadn't been damaged. This thing's frame was worth a whopping fifty grand alone. A golden mini statue of the Virgin Mary, it wasn't scratched a bit either. These were the most valuable things she could mentally muster as she paced the building, but something was missing. She looked around until its familiar platinum body caught her gaze. Yes, the minuscule Persian horse head. One of their rare secular pieces. It'd landed next to that feline aggressor's embedded body. Vanessa gladly reached out for it, moving rock and rubble to find it, before having her neck clamped by an unsuspecting leglock.

* * *

Jebediah inferred from his watch that Verkas was going to be late. And that was worrying because Verkas valued punctuality. Perhaps she'd gotten drunk with all her wine brewing, or lost herself gisting with the choir boys. The possibility of her losing a fight didn't cross his mind. That cat was stubborn to kill.

It was now 11:00 AM. The church doors would soon open, allowing various staff-members and visitors to embrace themselves and engage in their spiritual activities. The atmosphere would become intertwined with the echoing organ sprouting forth from the open windows of the main building. If Verkas didn't show up soon, things were going to get tricky.

Anyhow, the target's daughter had been secured. It was good for his sake that the young girl was quite naive and unsuspecting, gagging her would be unnecessary. Still, there remained that one uncomfortable task he had to confront before he could leave and check after Verkas.

Cream, that was her name. The bunny was in a deep state of introspection, sitting idly by her mother's vehicle. When he'd asked her what she was doing, she said something about rescuing that black hedgehog. This meant Shadow had already seen Verkas, which meant she'd already taken care of him or was about to. The girl's confidence was quite worrisome. Did she have any abilities or skills that might put their mission in danger? Were there in fact two mammal speedsters in that little entourage? Jebediah would rather not take the risk. He reached into his robes for the grip of his golden barrel revolver and slid his index fingers into the trigger-guard.

He'd make it quick. A rapid shot and a quick flee. Nobody would see him. Killing a child meant nothing to him if Atanis's name was on the line. Screw the organization and its demands. He only did what he did so Atanis would welcome him with open arms.

* * *

"Ellllllo, Shadow!"

That voice. Shadow quickly hauled Vanilla up her feet and drew her body behind his own. Between the dark borders of the Pope Hall's doorway stood the tattered feline kidnapper and her new hostage. Vanessa's face, swollen and red, was stuck between the powerful clutches of Verkas's veiny fingers. The upper part of her dress fluttered rapidly in the light wind. It was as battered as her current mental state.

"I've had enough time playing, you silly goose," Verkas yelled, "if you don't let that succulent pile of meat leave by the count of ten, I'm going to take this woman," Verkas pressed harder, causing Vanessa to squeal outward in gut-wrenching pain, "and blow her brains out!"

"You don't have the guts," Shadow scowled, "I'll rip your arms off before you lay a finger on her!"

"Oh ho!" Verkas said, "pick your words wisely Mr. edgelord, surely you should have figured out by now that we're evenly matched in power and skill, ask yourself, how fast do you need to move before I dig my hands in this precious woman's skull!"

"I-," Shadow tried to say something but no words could escape him. She was right, with the distance between them, as small as it was, he won't be quick enough to rescue Vanessa. He got desperate. Now, he thought, would be the right time for his next trick. Without wasting a second, he reached for his chaos inhibitors and fumbled around for their latches. Even if Verkas noticed what he was doing, she wouldn't be quick enough to stop him. Before he could put the right motion in place, a loud ringing sound pierced the confrontation. It emanated from a spot in Verkas's dress.

"What's that?" Shadow asked.

Verkas grinned her unsettling set of reddish fangs, "that's my trump card, you think a cooperation effort as smooth as this would rely so heavily on my own success? Hoho, you truly are foolish, you stupid hedgehog."

"Shadow?" Vanilla asked, hoping the hedgehog had a plan.

"Listen up you two," Verkas yelled, shaking up Vanessa's head a bit, "on the other side of this conversation, my partner in crime either has your daughter cornered, gagged, or dare I say permanently crippled."

"No," Vanilla murmured.

"But that doesn't have to be the case Shadow, listen, he is going to kill her, but you can save her life, the cost is pretty obvious if you ask me."

"You're bluffing," Shadow stuttered.

"In about twenty seconds from now!" Verkas bellowed, "he's going to pull the trigger, you just gotta find her and leave me be with this charming rabbit, and if you do I promise to be a good girl and let this bystander go."

"Please," Vanessa cried, "do what she wants."

Shadow reached out to Vanilla, without sparing his gaze from Verkas's position. What would she have him do? "Vanilla you need to-"

Vanilla interrupted him, "go after Cream!" she screamed, "leave me be!"

"Are you crazy?" Shadow screamed back, "you expect me to believe this deranged woman?"

"Eleven seconds Shadow! God's gonna get a new angel soon!" Verkas bellowed.

"Go!" Vanilla begged, nearly dropping to her knees in cold sweat, "Shadow, please go!" She grabbed the hedgehog by his quills and repeatedly shouted in his ear, "save my daughter!"

"I-I," Shadow's heart palpated, his red eyes darted around in agony. He looked for solutions, anything that could save everyone in this situation. Nothing. Nothing clicked. Cream. The Car. Vanessa. All shambles.

In the ensuing chaos, a blonde strand fell from Vanessa's hair and landed softly on the wetted grass. A sliver of it was bathed in some soft reddish glow. The imagery wrought the worse of Shadows memories.

Shadow gave up, and promptly disappeared from the scene.

* * *

Jebediah's revolver clicked into motion and fired. The next few seconds were going to be difficult, but he could live with it. Against the precipice of the gun-blast and Cream's last expression before death, a wild hedgehog appeared from the void and took the shot right into his chest.

Jebediah yelped and fell back in utter shock. Shadow didn't falter, despite his now open cavity.

"Damn you," the hedgehog gritted, "you have what you came for, now leave!"

The church bell struck its chord, signaling the beginning of a new wonderful service. Jebediah, not insistent on conversing with this mad dark spirit, stood up, dropped his revolver, and fled the scene.

Cream, petrified at the resounding blast and Shadow's sudden appearance, held her fingers close to her lips and trembled on the spot.

"Uncle Shadow?" she asked, "what's going on?"

Shadow coughed a bit of blood and looked at her with an irate expression. "Didn't, I tell, you, not to call me that?"

Cream couldn't say much. She barely managed to mouth a soundless 'sorry' before Shadow dropped dead against the vehicle. The bunny staggered back in surprise and held Cheese firmly.

"Cream," Shadow coughed, "ever taken a bullet out of somebody before?"

Cream shook her head.

"And that stupid fox is supposed to be bright," Shadow tore the closest doorknob from its root, crushed it and chucked it at Cream's feet.

"You're about to learn," he said.


	4. Bipolar Medic

_Fortune smiles upon those with the {Seven-Digit} contract. The Mask blesses its user with the ability to physically tip the odds in their favor by waging their internal organs against the enemy's._

**BUNNY PLUS BLACK**

Vanilla's abductors spared no expense in their restrainment. She'd been locked down with a thick leather strap and blinded with a burlap sack. What followed was a fretful ride in the vehicle she'd been tossed into.

"Dammit Verkas," she heard one of her assailants say, "you couldn't pick up the pace?"

"Just shut up and drive!" another shrieked. Verkas, so this was the name of the lady that attacked Shadow earlier.

Vanilla pleaded for some information, "where are you taking me?". They paid no attention to her words. She soon picked up on the sounds of velcro straps being pulled apart.

"You're kidding me," the assailant whispered.

"Jebediah, either you shut up and pay attention to the road, or let me drive"

"How do you expect me to when you're in a state of undress?"

"I've got a tactical vest on you daft pervert, I'm not going home looking like a whore-ish nun. Especially with Myles around."

These names. No doubt Vanilla would be meeting them soon. She wondered how cruel they were compared to her usual enemies. More importantly, she wondered how Cream and Shadow were doing. She feared asking the driver about the state of her daughter. He was the one on the other side of the confrontation, Verkas's trump card. Vanilla could only hope he'd failed in his transgression.

* * *

**CHAPTER 4: BIPOLAR MEDIC**

* * *

Shadow's tight window of opportunity provided no alternative method of dealing with the projectile. In that rapid microsecond, he'd assumed himself strong enough to tank a raging revolver blast with his bare skin. A half-witted choice in retrospect. Fortunately, his little ally was here to save him, despite her obvious lack of experience in the matter.

"Pressure first," he grunted, "stop the bleeding, then remove the bullet."

"Stop the bleeding with what Mr. Shadow?" Cream asked, kneeling over his wounded body, crushed door-knob in one hand.

"You got any gauze in the back of this stupid thing?" Shadow whispered, "get a piece of cloth, fold it and press it," he pointed to his cavity, "right here."

"I don't know," Cream said, "I don't know if I can."

"Cream, I can't exactly breathe with this thing in my lungs."

The bunny sniffled, horrified for life at the gore before her. She'd never seen so much blood in one place, it was a miracle she hadn't collapsed yet. "Mr. Shadow, I think you're really expecting a lot out of me."

Shadow groaned at her words. She was right, he had to find another way. He slapped his hands atop the side-view mirror to his left, tried to pull himself upwards, and toppled over. Cream dashed forward and caught him before he fell. "You're going to hurt yourself Mr. Shadow!" she cried, "please, just wait, I'll think of something. We'll get Mom, and she'll think of something."

"Cream," he mumbled, "I failed."

"No, you didn't, you saved me, you saved me from that mad dog, whoever he was."

That comment hurt Shadow; the bunny didn't understand. "I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about her, Vanilla, your Mom, she's gone."

Cream's eyes widened. "What do you mean?" she stammered.

"I-," Shadow stuttered, "I was given a choice you see, it was either I saved her, or let you perish under the metal in my lungs."

A weight of tragedy pierced the bunny's, fragile heart. Her pupils contracted, her tears multiplied, she sunk her head into Shadow's back and let out a blood-curdling cry. "Oh no, no, no, no," she wept, "no, no, anything but Mom! Not again!"

"I'm sorry."

"Shadow, how could you have let this happen, we trusted you, I trusted you, she trusted you! I thought you were a hero!"

Shadow reached back for Cream's head and offered her the best solace he could manage, "Cream, she wanted me to go after you."

"And you couldn't have told her no!" Cream pushed the black hedgehog off, causing him to stumble forward. He wasn't going to make it at this rate. "You're never one to listen, you couldn't just take her away as Sonic would?"

It was a triple-hostage situation, sacrificing one person would just lead to another's demise. Even the mere act of leaving that poor human girl in the grips of that monster was a risk. But, like the steps of misery that led to his so-called redemption, Shadow didn't have a choice in the matter. He didn't expect Cream to understand.

"Cream," he whispered, only doing so because of his growing pain, "listen, I don't expect to understand what you're going through, but I promise I can make things right."

"I don't believe you, why should I listen to you, when you've been so mean to me since we got here?"

Shadow's grim expression worsened, he slowly turned his body over, giving Cream his full attention. As expected, she'd quickly let herself go down the path of turmoil: ears lifeless, eyes exasperated and limbs that couldn't keep still. If she cried any longer, she'd suffer a dehydrated collapse.

"You're just a monster, aren't you!" she yelled.

Shadow deserved that. In their brief period of communication, he'd left her lacking the older figure she so desperately desired. She'd been dragged too far into his road of misery without restraint. Recovering from this shot was one problem, gaining her trust back was another battle entirely.

"I'm sorry," Shadow said. That was the best phrase to start with. He dropped to the ground like a used-up doll. Pain wasn't the issue here, he was created to survive the pain. It was dying, that short period of flooding synapses before the lights went out. He'd experienced it twice now, and still wasn't getting used to it.

Cream charged at him and gripped him by his mane, "no!" She grunted, "Shadow, don't go, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, please don't go." She held up his right arm and ripped his gloves off with her little teeth. "We'll use this okay?" she placed his back onto the ground and dabbed his wounds. "Oh don't go Shadow, please, I'll do my best okay?"

"I'm sorry," Shadow repeated, "I couldn't save you both."

"Don't worry Mr. Shadow, we do our best, we mean the best, but sometimes things just don't work out."

* * *

The first thing Vanilla noticed upon being given her sight back was the large steel overlay of a platinum-rimmed door. Her arms were still tightly strapped. She managed to make out the outlines of a densely guarded military-like compound, various vehicles, a long-spanning landscape, and a strong blue crescent moon in the sky. She didn't know how many hours it'd been since the ride started. In fact, she'd actually slept some way through. It was such a debilitating journey. No doubt a purposeful tactic made by her kidnappers to keep her the least self-aware of her environment.

She made a quick note of Jebediah, her daughter's might-be murderer. He was fumbling with an entourage of silver keys, possibly looking for the right one to the entrance. It didn't take long before she started pressing him. Her barks caused him to flinch on the spot.

"What did you do?" she yelled, "what did you do to my baby girl?" Jebediah dropped a pair of keys from his fluttering arms and began to panic.

"Oh come on, Verkas, put a gag on her or something," the dog said, "she nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"This scrawny thing is scaring you?" Verkas bellowed behind Vanilla, "are you that much of a coward?"

Jebediah faced Verkas with a controlled scowl, "I-I thought she was asleep, and we're all feeling a little drowsy, so f-forgive me okay?"

"I'm not, I'm going to bite your head off!" Vanilla shrieked. She wasn't sure where this courage was coming from, but she knew it wasn't wise. Or lady-like for that matter. Her bravery disintegrated once Verkas's wide-hand clutch gripped both her bunny ears.

"Oi" Verkas gritted, "if you want to make it to the weekend with these things on, you better keep it shut." Vanilla wasn't having it, she struggled against this brute of a Mobian and tried to kick her way free. Like she'd care if her ears were ripped off if her baby girl was in danger.

"Madame, you can shove your furry arms up your a-!"

Jebediah kicked the door open after a successful attempt with his keys. "Presto!" he declared. Vanilla finally noticed that they'd been in front of a small metal shack during this debacle, but before she could learn more about its location she was shoved forward. Lacking proper balance, she tripped into a rush of white light.

"Jeb, mate!" a rapscallion yelled, "back this early?"

"Shut up," Jebediah muttered, "just close the gate and send someone to park the convertible."

"Right after this match!"

Vanilla's pupils eased themselves into the environment. As the booming brightness dimmed, the details of her whereabouts became apparent. It was much clearer than the landscape outside. She picked up on the brazen audio of a loud football match emanating from a TV-Box a few spaces in front of her. A silver fridge, a pair of wooden chairs, hanging naked light-bulbs, and a large mural on the walls that depicted some enigmatic religious-like image. She tried to get up with her knees, but soon found a heavy force pressing her back unto the bleach-scented wooden floor. All in all, the place felt cheap but adequately sanitized.

"At ease bunny," Verkas said, "you try that again and you might hurt yourself."

"Just finish me off," Vanilla whispered, "I don't have any value to you people, not when my daughter's in danger."

Verkas dragged Vanilla up by her waist and let the rabbit find her footing, "your daughter's safe." She proceeded to cut Vanilla's straps apart with her claws, finally giving the rabbit the bodily freedom she'd been lacking for the past six-plus hours. Vanilla returned the favor with a sudden heel turn and an attempted back-hand slap on Verkas's face. The feline caught it with ease.

"I appreciate your show of gratitude," Verkas said, too tired to feign any smile with her sarcasm, "but I'd rather you just took a seat and waited for the boss."

"What boss?" Vanilla asked, right hand still in Verkas's tight grasp, "the kind that goes around killing kids?"

"Atanis does no such thing," Jebediah remarked, he was standing next to some wooden door by the other side of the entrance, "but we, his subordinates are ready to sacrifice everything for his own desires."

"Speak for yourself dog," Verkas said.

Jebediah shook his head in disbelief, "if only you had the same kind of dedication as I do," Jebediah said, "perhaps you wouldn't be forced to work at such a second-rate pay."

Verkas made a short-lived fuming sigh, "Jebediah, we're done here, leave."

"I was planning to," the dog said, "you two have fun on your date, I'm going to see how Myles is doing, perhaps he would be more understanding."

"If you touch that boy, I'll gut you," Verkas said, "I mean it."

"Goodnight Verkas," Jebediah whisked himself through the wooden door and disappeared down a large halfway, one Vanilla couldn't see before the door closed shut.

Verkas let go of the rabbit's wrist, rubbed her own fluffy red hair, and asked, "do you drink?"

Vanilla, confused at the question, shook her head slowly, "no? What do you want from me?"

Verkas shrugged, "nothing, my job here is done, I brought you in and now I wait for Atanis, that's it," the large feline sauntered to a nearby cheap-looking sofa on the far opposite side of the TV. She sat down with a clumsy thud and directed her attention towards the match, "as far as you're concerned, we're friends."

"I'll never be friends with a monster like you!" Vanilla yelled, rubbing her numb wrists.

"Monster?" Verkas asked, "that's a privileged way of putting things, but whatever, you're free to make your own conclusions."

Vanilla stomped her right foot forward but kept herself at a safe distance lest the cat charged her. "You tried to kill my friend!"

"And your other friend drove me half-way through the floor, by all accounts, he struck first."

Vanilla gritted her teeth, "how did you even survive that, you really are a monster."

"By sheer willpower, and this," Verkas flashed the thin bruise on her thumb from the sign she made earlier.

"And what may that be?"

"That's a blood-contract, it lets animals like me keep up with the madhouses."

"What?"

Verkas made her forty-fifth sigh that fateful day, "you'll learn more when you meet that senior buffoon, but please Vanilla, take a seat, relax, there's like seven thousand acres of military defenses around this building, Mobians and men willing to die for our cause, and outside of that, a field of wolves you won't last a day in."

"I refuse!" Vanilla shrieked, stomping her feet again.

Verkas threw her hands up, "whatever, more power to you." She turned to face one of the men in the room, some pig sitting in one of the wooden chairs. "Oi, Mikey, what you've got in the fridge?"

Mikey didn't turn his head away from the game, "nothing but root-beer luv, and cheap wine."

Verkas whispered to herself, "wine beats beer any day," and raised her voice again, "give me the wine!"

"Oh come on, Verkas, get it yourself, I haven't been able to watch the game in weeks."

"Prude," she redirected her attention towards Vanilla. Poor rabbit, she was a lost shivering case. Verkas slid to the left side of the sofa, making space for her new 'friend'. "Vanilla, darling, you're going to collapse if you stand like that all night long, come sit down here and cozy up, I'll have the boys turn the heater on."

"Thank you for you're 'supposed' kindness, but I'll decline, if you want to make me do anything, you'll have to force me!" She didn't expect Mikey to laugh at her comment and Verkas to follow on in pursuit.

"They all start out that way, don't they Verkas?" Mikey chortled, "tough one day, broken the next, how much do you reckon this one's gonna last Avallone?"

Avallone, the other individual in the room, some grey porcupine, shrugged and said nothing.

"You're all laughing now, but you'll be sorry when my friends find you and beat you to a bloody pulp, you're not the first person to capture me you know?" Vanilla said.

Verkas pulled herself up from her sofa, trudged towards the fridge, and pulled out the best thing she could find.

"Cote des Vazone, twenty-ten," she said, "you want some Vanilla?"

"I told you, I'm not drinking anything!"

"Suit yourself." Verkas returned to the sofa and placed both her feet up. "Mikey, after this, go do what that dog wants and put on the Chronicle channel."

"You're all sick people," Vanilla muttered, she sat down on the cold wooden floor and kept her limbs close, hugging herself for warmth and comfort. She hoped Sonic would show up soon, or Vector, or Knuckles. The rabbit lowered her head. In this time of despair, when one was driven to the brink of madness, nostalgia became the best coping tool. And so, she thought back to Cream. As long as her daughter was safe, all was right in the world. She was with Shadow, and he was sane enough, right?

She thought back to the time he'd abandoned her in the rain, his apathy towards her during the journey to the graveyard, and his prideful show of power that disregarded those around him. It didn't bode well for her thoughts. A silver thin streak slid down her furry cheeks. All hope was lost.

* * *

Cream softly pressed her finger into Shadow's cavity, contracting his open wound. "Why do you do it Mr. Shadow?" she asked, "why do you call yourself a hero?"

Shadow resisted the swelling urge to grab Cream's hand and yank it from his chest. They'd absorbed all the blood they could with the two pairs of gloves at their disposal. From here on out, it was a bare-handed extraction in murky waters, with Cream dominating the procedure.

"Cream," he nearly cried, "you need to slow down."

Cream ignored him, "why did you save me, Mr. Shadow?"

"Because your mother asked me to."

"That's not it," she pressed harder. Her left finger kept part of Shadow's skin open, the crushed doorknob served as the hook to extract the bullet from his lungs.

"What do you want from me?"

"The truth, why do you treat me like rubbish but take a bullet for me right after? Nobody does that!"

Shadow gritted his teeth and crushed the ground beneath his fingers. "It's because I watched someone I loved perish by the wayside of humanity, and I swore never to let another suffer as she did!"

Cream shot another stream of pain through Shadow's nerves as she delved deeper into his lungs. The bullet was close, she could feel its shell press against her bloody fingertips.

"I need you to stay calm Mr. Shadow." Finally, she grasped it, that rim she'd touched before. She slid the door-knob around its body and pulled. With a satisfying pulpy plop, she pulled the bullet from Shadow's chest, holding it up under the glow of the moon.

"I did it!" she exclaimed. At the height of her work, the adrenaline wore off. The true nature of her actions settled in. Her bloody fingers became apparent, and the gore around her reawakened the primal fear she'd repressed. She collapsed shortly after.

"Cream," Shadow grunted. With the bullet removed, his accelerated healing would take-over and allow him to recover. He had Cream to thank for that. He pulled himself towards her comatose body and lifted her from her drenches, using the vehicle as a support for his aching body. Cheese had hidden in the forest during their violent dance. No doubt, the sight wasn't exactly healthy for him.

They finished their night inside the cozy interior of Vanilla's vehicle. Entry was simple with a nearby rock and Shadow's raw physical prowess. He lay Cream's fragile figure in the backseat and covered her with a blanket he'd found in the boot. Luring Cheese back was quite difficult, but after some forced calm words, he'd managed to pull the little bugger back to safety. Fortunately, he still trusted Shadow, despite his crude behavior. He had to find a resting place quickly, where they could reorganize and plan for the somber future that awaited them. He rummaged through the contacts on the cockpit's dashboard. A few hopeful names caught the eye.

He rang up the first contact and looted the glove compartment for something he could chew on. No doubt Vanilla would have something like hard mint. As his hands pushed through, he felt the familiar creasy folds of worn paper. He pulled out whatever it was. A crude scribbling. Something a child would make. It contained nothing but the drawing of a small brown figure and a larger dark-reddish thing. A rabbit and a hedgehog it seemed.

_Me with my Uncle Shadow._


	5. Heart for Heart

_{Kazo Spot}: Eliminates targets by directing the power of the Sun through the users' ocular field._

**BUNNY PLUS BLACK**

The sizzling sun cut through the morning's blight, giving rise to a new dawn. For Vanilla, it signaled the latest entry in her nightmarish turmoil.

She awoke to many afflictions. Her crummy gown had stuck to the fur of her rigid frame. The borders of her eyes had blackened due to her incessant will to remain conscious throughout the night. Each pupil quivered greatly as rays of light pushed through the metal shack she occupied. How long had she slept now? An hour, maybe two? Anything longer than a minute would be a miracle. Her sense of taste had almost dissipated. Not even her spittle survived the cold night.

Vanilla re-inspected her surroundings. It was all the same, a shamble of unfamiliar individuals and objects. She'd actually experienced a delightful transient vision during her small bouts of rest. Her darling in blue had burst through the compounds of the enemy, sent her abductors packing, and whisked her to safety, smiling all the way. And then, of course, her lovely baby was just in sight. That blessed smile so close to her fingertips, yet seized suddenly by an aloof cheer from one of the evils that kept her bound. She woke up screaming shortly after, covered in tears. Her abductors were initially shocked by her dismay but continued on in their selfish apathy. She bore her woes in isolation.

And so, Vanilla cursed her ineptitude ways.

* * *

**CHAPTER 5: HEART FOR HEART**

* * *

3:00 AM. A good time for a few devilish things and a hassle for many. Shadow could juggle with both those realities. The moon's crescent glow hovered far above the thinning navy skies and the calm pacific to his right. He drove on by with ease, resisting the glacial winds that blew through the fractured driver's window. Cream slept with little trouble beneath a comforting layer of cotton blankets on the backseat. Her Chao, the ever-present Cheese, lay snugly still in her quaint little arms. The two suffered little discomfort. As long as Shadow kept the heater on and stuck to the smooth side of the barren asphalt highway, they'd all be fine.

Memories of the confrontation with that feline still troubled him. That lady's prowess was indeed nightmarish, but his comment about her amateurish methods remained firm. He remembered her preceding comment outside the Hall. She'd complimented him like some kind of self-testing observer. One with the resources to mimic her enemy's conditions.

"Mr. Shadow?"

The hedgehog nearly steered rightwards out of sheer shock. The bunny was awake. She'd been physically fine since their departure but her troubled tone betrayed an anguished spirit.

"Mr. Shadow," she sobbed, "why am I covered in blood, where are my gloves?"

The landscape was isolated, save for a few silhouettes in the distant blue. Shadow planned to make a quick turn towards the shoreline, where the vehicle could be parked out of harm's way.

"Mr. Shadow?" Cream asked.

"Relax Cream, first-time shock, you'll get used to it," he found his opening, "we all do."

A good twenty-five minutes later, the two traded words against the ocean backdrop. Cream's brown dead-eyed stare looked towards the splitting horizon as Shadow desperately tried to scrub off whatever blood he could from her dress and fur. They used the base of the vehicle's open boot as a make-shift seat and one of her many blankets as a blood-rag.

"The ocean's pretty today," Cream said. Shadow pressed a piece of cotton cloth on her cheeks, dabbing up what he could. "Blaze and I used to play by the shoreline all the time, we built sand castles, had dress-up parties-"

"I'm dropping you off with Vector."

"What?" Cream snatched her wrists from Shadow's arms. "Why?"

"What do you mean 'why'?"

"But, Mom, we have to save her Shadow."

"It's too dangerous if you tag-along."

"No," she pulled herself from the base of the boot, grabbed Cheese, and backed off, "I'm coming with, and you can't stop me!"

Shadow sighed. He'd suspected she'd be stubborn. "Listen, Cream," he raised his stature, allowing the moon to cast his shadow over her small frame, "death is not some light-hearted facet that can be overturned, if you're in harm's way again, I can't save you."

"That doesn't matter, we'll work together!" she squeezed Cheese harder like a teddy bear, "I remember I-I had to save you b-back there."

"It's a memory that'll traumatize you."

Cream shook her head, "it doesn't matter, I can do it again, I can take whatever these monsters throw at me."

"Really?"

"I'm not a baby, i-in fact, I could probably take you on if I wanted."

The hedgehog wasn't known for laughs, but that little comment shook up his icy persona. This adorable two feet bunny didn't know how to pick her own battles.

Cream noticed his budding smile, "don't laugh at m-", a dark wall of fur plastered her vision. In a microsecond she found herself staring down the red abysses in Shadow's pale scleras. He'd closed the gap between them faster than she could complete her next thought.

"All it takes is this," he murmured, "and," he pressed his right thumb with his middle finger, drew it close to her forehead, and made a playful soft thwack, "boom, your brain's all over the pavement."

"D-Don't say that."

"Never underestimate the killing intent of your enemies, they'll eliminate you before you draw your next breath." He retreated from her position, and headed towards the vehicle, "you can't handle it, not with these guys, with the doctor? Maybe, but he's a buffoon that likes to play around."

"Well, then maybe if you could," she looked down at her feet in embarrassment, "maybe, I don't know, teach me to be as cool as you are, maybe I can fight back?"

Shadow had done his best to keep his emotions at bay, but Cream's statement struck him at his core. He bellowed with immense laughter which was short-lived due to the pain in his lungs. The hedgehog gripped his chest but continued his amusement in quick bursts of chortles.

Cream blushed at his amusement, she let go of Cheese and folded her arms in scorn, "don't laugh at me, I could do it, I could become as strong as you!"

"Good grief," Shadow said, "of all the things I expect myself to laugh at."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Shadow ceased his delight. "You really think you can match up to me?"

"You don't know."

"I'm dropping you off with Vector and that's that, cry all you want but I can't work with the possibility of you getting hurt."

Cream stomped her feet on the soft sandy ground, "that's not what Sonic would say."

"Do I look like Sonic to you?"

The bunny stopped her wailing. She felt obstructed by Shadow's words. He wasn't wrong but she couldn't just stand the idea of being left by the side while her mother was in trouble. She threw herself off the conversation and stormed towards the ocean.

"What are you doing?" Shadow asked.

"I'm not leaving till you let me come with!" she yelled back, before dropping to a cross-legged sitting position. She stuck her nose up and ignored the hedgehog's demands, "you're going to have to force me to Vector's place."

* * *

Vanilla realized now that she'd been placed on the soft sofa Verkas was lying on the night before. The cat, on the other hand, seemed passed out on the floor before her. This was a troubling act of kindness, Vanilla took it as an act of mockery.

A shrieking bell rang out from the externals of the cabin. An army of footsteps rumbled through the compound, vehicles were being started, gates were being opened and plans were being set forth. Vanilla could see none of it, but the implications were unsettling. A booming radio voice shot out from the distance.

"Salutations brothers and sisters, for today marks another lovely day under the red-streaked banner of the Cult of July! Today's keyword for your troubled souls: Asphyxiation"

The Cult of July. What an odd name for an organization. Vanilla didn't bother much with that line of thinking, she just wanted to move quickly. Verkas was clearly passed out and didn't seem to take any notice of Vanilla's conscious state. She'd use this opportunity to flee, to something, anything. Wherever they couldn't find her until proper help arrived. She feared her life may be at risk if she stayed. Robotisation, sacrifice, who knew what these people were planning?

She spun to her feet and balanced her tired body. The sleep she'd managed wasn't enough for her to operate and a strong sense of hunger hurt her empty gut. Regardless, she fought on. With some painful strides, she stumbled her way to the front door, leaned on it, and tried to bolster it open. It was locked. This was expected. Next, the windows. She trudged over to them, slid behind the deactivated TV-Box, and felt the iron frame for any kind of latches. Bingo. Fortunately, it was unbarred too, a small person like her could crawl through.

"Hello?"

Her heart jumped, she turned back in shock and quickly started grasping for any weapon she could find. Standing by the opposite door was some pale-furred fox with brown streaks running from his eyes downwards. He sported some casual garb and an unusual red apron hanging by his neck and waist.

"Stand back!" Vanilla shrieked, she seized the tv's antenna and pointed it towards the fox as though they were a pair of bull horns, "if you grab me I'll poke your eyes out."

This new strange character was nonchalant, refusing to even flinch at her threat, "you must be Vanilla," he said.

"What do you want?" Vanilla demanded.

"Nothing, yet, it's just, Jebediah was yapping off about you last night, figured I'd come see you myself," he tipped his head to the right, "I guess you are pretty, in a motherly sense, but definitely not my type that's for sure."

"Who are you?" Vanilla asked, the fox ignored her and began approaching the center of the room. "Stand back!"

He held his right hand forward to calm her down, "at ease damsel, I didn't come looking for anyone's trouble." He stooped to Verka's unconscious body and placed the same hand on her forehead.

"Myles?" Verkas grunted, slowly coming to.

"Looks like you passed out again," the fox said. Vanillas first thought was obvious, another named 'Myles'. She hadn't yet regarded the difference in spelling.

"You missed dinner," Myles mumbled, "and left me with that yap all night, he wouldn't shut up about the lady you brought in." He placed two fingers on her neck. "Fifty degrees, Two-One-Oh on the heartbeat scale, it's a miracle you're alive."

"I couldn't risk warming up inside, the contract-"

"I know," Myles said, "next time you should have come to my lab, I'd have left the windows open." The fox slid his arms under Verkas's body and carried her up by her shoulders. Despite his relatively scrawny frame, he managed well given the larger body-size of his feline confidant. "Come on," he puffed, "let's get something to eat."

Vanilla remained silently fearful, but Myles disregarded her emotions. Before exiting back through the hallway, he made a tempting request. "Vanilla right?" he asked, "if you want something to eat, you better come get it in the library, it's maple-coated bacon and eggs, and I wouldn't want it to go to waste." The rabbit didn't budge from her position, she kept her rod-plated tool pointed towards the fox. He shrugged at her, "suit yourself," before departing from the scene. The door itself was left open, no doubt a physical sign to lure Vanilla inwards.

Her stomach grumbled at the idea of having something to eat. Myles hadn't even questioned her plans to escape. He must have known something she didn't. After a few more minutes of painful waiting, she figured the risk wasn't worth it. Worst case scenario, she'd have a full stomach before they carried on with their evil deeds. That would at least give her the energy to move forward. She followed reluctantly, the TV antenna still in hand.

* * *

Cream opened her eyes, expecting to be in the back of her mother's vehicle with a blanket over her mouth. She'd thought Shadow would pull something crude, but surprisingly the hedgehog was tranquil.

"You're not going to drag me along?" she asked.

"No," Shadow responded.

"Well, I'm not going to leave."

"I know." Shadow walked over and sat right next to her, "I'm not going to force you."

Cream felt a bit uneasy at Shadow's lack of care, "I know what you're doing, you're just playing along so I can lower my guard."

"No."

She was getting slightly aggravated, "I've already made up my mind!" Cream stuck out her tongue, folded her legs, and sunk her head in her knees, "you can't make me go!" she mumbled.

"I told you, I know."

Ten minutes of wave-splashes and breezy howls passed by. The two figures looked on ahead with a relaxed silence, gazing towards the minute entourage of sea vessels crossing the ocean. Cream knew she'd have to retreat soon, she'd found herself in a little shivering act.

"I've always wanted to be a hero," she muttered, "I wanted to be like Sonic, and Tails, but I never really got the chance to shine on my own," she crept a bit closer to Shadow. "Remember when you saved me from that horrible Robotnik, in Cryptic Castle?"

Shadow nodded, still gazing towards the horizon.

"I thought you were the coolest thing," she said, "like you were so quiet and alone and I thought 'wow, he must have something going on', but we never really talked much after that."

"I didn't see any reason to," Shadow said.

Cream grunted but went on with her praise, "I just thought, if I was going to be a hero, if I was going to be erm, indi..."

"Independent."

"Yes, if I was going to be independent, then I had to be strong on my own!"

An eerie silence followed. A crab toppled over from a nearby cliff-side into the sandy pits.

"A goal like that requires sacrifice," Shadow said, "not every path to success is paved on easy roads, we tend to lose a lot on our way through. Me for example, well being 'created' wasn't exactly something I'd asked for."

"But you were created cool basically, right?"

Shadow's face scrunched up slightly, "no, I didn't exactly ask to be like this."

"What do you mean?"

The black hedgehog's gloves quivered slightly at the question. He didn't want to go into it, "tell you what, you stay close, do what I say and maybe I'll let you tag along."

Cream's eyes beamed up, "really!" she yelped, almost bursting from the ground in joy, "you mean I get to work with you!"

Shadow pulled himself up from the ground and dusted the sand off his body, his bunny companion followed pursuit, shaking the dust off her ears. "I figure there's no stopping you from following your dreams, or saving your mom for that matter so I'm not going to waste my time debating your stubborn spirit."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Uncle Shadow, I promise you, you won't regret i-," she held her mouth upon realizing her mistake, "I-I'm sorry, I mean 'Mr.' Shadow."

Shadow shook his head, doing his best to hide the slight reddish glow forming on his cheeks, "whatever," he mumbled, "I'll let it pass."

"Alright!" Cream said, "Uncle Shadow it is!" she hugged him by his waist, looking up to his red stare with her cute brown eyes.

"What?"

"Could I also call you Dad?"

Shadow nearly coughed up his breakfast at that statement, he pushed himself from Cream's grasp in utter disgust, "don't push yourself."

Cream's joy didn't falter, she accepted her limits, "alright, Uncle Shadow it is." She grabbed Cheese from the air and gave him a large smack on his forehead.

The Chao was confused, "Chao?"

"Cheese, we're actually going on an adventure with the Shadow the Hedgehog! Mom's gonna freak when she sees us working together, aren't you excited?"

"Chao?"

"Oh don't say that, he's actually nicer in person."

Shadow grimaced as the adorable duo celebrated their acceptance into his mini-group. He'd have to watch out for both of them now, another burden atop his already tired shoulders. With a soft sigh, he slipped into the vehicle's front seat and resumed his train of thought on his new enemies. This was an organization of shadows in possession of some truly agonizing power, enough so that one of them could relentlessly go head-to-head with the ultimate life-form and survive. Most of his current woes stemmed from his feline assailant. She'd uttered a perplexing statement before their fight that put his mental faculty in great worry. These were the words that caused him to abruptly cut Cream off and burst after Vanilla.

_"We need not toy anymore with politics and religion to bring world peace, Vanilla will be the mistress that shall finally bring true happiness to us all."_


End file.
